ecnieneeaeaaeemn
porarily attached to BAIROKO for CASTLE,

fo provide intercept

expabilities at both atolls three aireraft were aeeigned to each.

The Eniwetok element wee baged on the airatrip there with a DDE at
that atell performing fighter control duties,

Until EBRAW the

BMking eleaent we based on the Bikini airstrip under coatm) of
BAYROKO's GIG,

OG officer personnel from both BAIROXO and CURTISS

were aacigned texporary duty throughout the Operation in the Taek

Group 7.4 Aly Operations Center at Euivetok, with the function ef
providing to BAIROKO and the Faivetok fighter control DDE up-to-date?
information on flighte transiting the area.

8.

Yor BRAYO the Biking elenent was moved tack aboard BAIEOKO,

and prepared te oontact flight eperations from the CYR during the

period the stip was ontside the lagoon for the ahet. ‘thie clement
- was newer returned to Bikini,

After BRATO it was impossible for the

wirereft to operate from the heavily contaminated airstrip.

BATROKO

was needed inside the lagcon to condnet helicopter operations that
were absolutely essential te eontinustion of the teats,

1¢ wee con-

eluded that the intercept expability at Hikini could not be ecinteined
without sericaesly hindering the CASTLE program, and the three BMikiat

aircraft with their personnel were placed ashore at Enivetok ent
Joined with the three alrareft originally based there,

The probable

ineffeativensss of these propeller drives aircraft had woéern eneay

Planes entered the area contributed te this decision,

After BRAVO

ail six fightere continned to operate from Fnivetok.

On omen
eee

44

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